The Toronto Maple Leafs’ NHL playoff journey came to an end on Sunday, May 23rd, with a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers. The Leafs had high hopes going into the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 35-14-7 record, but unfortunately, they were unable to advance past the first round.
The series against the Panthers was a closely contested battle, with both teams trading wins back and forth. The Leafs took Game 1 with a 5-1 victory, but the Panthers responded with a 3-1 win in Game 2. The Leafs then took Game 3 with a 2-1 victory, but the Panthers once again responded with a 4-1 win in Game 4.
Game 5 was a must-win for both teams, and it was a tightly contested affair. The Leafs struck first with a goal from Alex Galchenyuk in the first period, but the Panthers tied it up in the second period with a goal from Patric Hornqvist. The Leafs regained the lead in the third period with a goal from William Nylander, but the Panthers once again tied it up with a goal from Sam Bennett.
The game went into overtime, and it was the Panthers who came out on top. Ryan Lomberg scored the game-winning goal just 5:56 into overtime, sending the Panthers through to the second round of the playoffs.
Despite the disappointing end to their playoff run, there were some positives for the Leafs to take away from the series. Auston Matthews continued his outstanding season with two goals and two assists in five games, while Mitch Marner had four assists. Jack Campbell also played well in net for the Leafs, finishing the series with a .919 save percentage.
However, there were also some areas of concern for the Leafs. Their power play struggled throughout the series, going just 1-for-13. They also struggled to contain the Panthers’ top line of Bennett, Hornqvist, and Jonathan Huberdeau, who combined for 16 points in the series.
Overall, it was a disappointing end to what was a promising season for the Leafs. However, they will have another chance to make a deep playoff run next season, and with the talent they have on their roster, there is reason to believe that they can do just that.
